This guide is directed to newer players who are eager to try out DF 250+ DGs. There will be strategies and tactics that cover both individual targets and mobs.

Difficulty is how hard something is to kill for its level. So a level 2k ship may have a lower difficulty rating than a level 1k ship.

Weaknesses is determined based on ship resists. Damage types highlighted in red means the ship is very weak to it.

Forgone (Level 1.1k)/(Level 1.6k)/(Level 2.1k)Difficulty: Medium/Medium/HardWeaknesses: Mining, surgicalStrategy: If you have a fast agile ship, these AI are easy. While they can do a lot of damage with their xeno torpedoes, their other weapons aren't that strong. They are also easy to kite and dodge because they sit still when firing. The level 2k ones are very damaging though and quite tanky, so its imperative that you stay away from their torpedoes. Engineers may have a harder time due to their holy ward tractors. That being said, if you are in a slow ship, sit on them to stop them from deploying their torps.

Icepick (Level 1.3k)/(Level 1.8k)Difficulty: Medium/MediumWeaknesses: Heat, miningStrategy: Again, speed and agility are favorable aspects to tackle these AI. Kiting works wonders against them because they close in on their target. Their pulses and xeno torpedoes are the heavy hitting weapons, the rest of the weapons are fairly weak. If you cannot avoid their pulses, make sure you equip energy diffusers. Like level 2.1k forgones, the level 1.8k icepicks deal massive damage. Unlike level 2.1k forgones, they are quite fragile.

Bigger Green (Level 1.5k)/(Level 1.7k) Difficulty: Hard/Very HardWeaknesses: Mining, RadiationStrategy: These probably have the fewest weaknesses of any commonly seen AI. You cannot simply dodge without thinking because they will shoot Titan Lasers at you, and outranging them is harder because of their Titan MagCannons. In addition to their high damage output, they are very tanky as well. For fast agile ships, the trick is to move just enough to avoid their pulses and magcannons while keeping from moving too fast so they don't switch to their lasers. The best strategy to defeating them is kiting, because they are slow and their magcannons have reduced range when moving towards you.

Omega Platform (Level 1.9k)Difficulty: MediumWeaknesses: MiningStrategy: Had to bring up these because a lot of people claim that these are very difficult AI to kill, but I have to disagree. Omega platforms are slow and have poor radar, so all you have to do is outrange them and you are fine. Mining weapons kill them quicker than a Japanese cook makes sushi rolls. If you cannot outrange them, kill them as quickly as possible because their not very tanky but deal a lot of damage with their torpedoes. Speed demons may have trouble against them because of their ~1500 range lasers, recommended to carry laser diffusers.

Green Battleship (Level 2k)Difficulty: HardWeaknesses: MiningStrategy: Ignore the agamemnon fighters, they have a lot of them and they aren't much of a threat. Green battleships take a long time to kill if you don't have mining damage in your arsenal. Their damage is not that high, but with ~1500 range and full tracking mining beams these are quite a challenge for recon focus classes. The best way to defeat a DG floor of them as speed demon is to carry a mining weapon like an excommunicator and bait out the green battleships one by one. Most other classes can tank or outrange green battleships and just have to wait patiently.

Reavers (Level 1.2k)/(Level 1.8k)Difficulty: Easy/MediumWeaknesses: Mining, but all weapons are effectiveStrategy: The regular reavers are extremely easy. They only have ~6k shields and mediocre resists. The only difficult part about them is their gremming laser that deals fairly high damage and disables turning. Bring a full tracking weapon or make sure you outrun them. The MF reavers are not so easy. They fire 3 lasers instead of 1 and each laser deals 50% more damage than normal reavers' lasers. Their shields, although still weak, are greater as well. They also carry cloaks so you need a decent radar to see them. If you feel that you cannot withstand their lasers, carry volatile laser diffusers. Again, either bring a full tracking weapon or move faster than them (at least 120 speed). Readers of Shawn-McCall's comment should note that his speed value of 150 for reavers is incorrect. Reavers only move at 120 speed. MF reavers aren't very damaging but since lasers disable turning and are instant hit, dodging is pretty much out of the option. Kiting and outranging of course works against them.

Red Wattages (Level 1.8k)/(Level 2.8k)Difficulty: Very Hard/Medium-HardWeaknesses: PhysicalStrategy: A single red wattage is easy picking but when you are thrown into a DG floor full of them its astonishing how much more difficult they become. Red wattages fire powerful energy beams that also reduce elec regen, and move very fast too. If you cannot tank their shots, try to either run away from them or hide from them. Then, when you are far away, attack and quickly kill the red wattage that's closest to you, preferably with a physical weapon. Snipers can fire and hide, speed demons can turn backwards and shoot them as their range isn't that long. Rinse and repeat until you've wasted them all.

Qokuji'qis (Level 1.4k)Difficulty: HardWeaknesses: HeatStrategy: Any tanky class can kill these easily. Their damage output is not that high and any sort of heat weapon will waste them about as quickly as an icepick. Speed demons and snipers will have a harder time because they use jiji quus which wreck fast ships and if you let them hit you enough times, your visibility goes up at least tenfold. They are also quite stealthy. The best way to defeat them as sniper is to pick them off with a long ranged weapon before they hit you. If you have a heat weapon, excellent. If you don't, expect to take a bit longer. The best way to defeat them as speed demon is to stay out of range of their heat beams.

Vultures and Condors (Level 1.1k)/(Level 1.7k)/CondorsDifficulty: Very Hard/Hard/Very HardWeaknesses: Energy, Heat, PhysicalStrategy: Hard this time as you cannot kite vultures and their pulses have long range. Speed demons should not have a problem against them because none of them have beam weapons. Snipers should stick to firing and hiding using a hot glue gun or some physical weapon. Hot glue gun is especially effective because the parasite will finish them off. If none of these fighting styles are available, try to use tractor beams or somehow screw up their turning because the birds of prey have surprisingly low agility. For missile users, zaphragi cheetah missiles are very effective against them.

Last edited by Valkyrie300 on Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:55 pm

Frostbite

Team: Rank: Main: HeavenLevel: 4385

Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:21 pmPosts: 159

Re: Defeating High Level AI

Valkyrie300 wrote:

This guide is directed to newer players who are eager to try out DF 250+ DGs. There will be strategies and tactics that cover both individual targets and mobs.

Difficulty is how hard something is to kill for its level. So a level 2k ship may have a lower difficulty rating than a level 1k ship.

Weaknesses is determined based on ship resists. Damage types highlighted in red means the ship is very weak to it.

Forgone (Level 1.1k)/(Level 1.6k)/(Level 2.1k)Difficulty: Medium/Medium/HardWeaknesses: Mining, surgicalStrategy: If you have a fast agile ship, these AI are easy. While they can do a lot of damage with their xeno torpedoes, their other weapons aren't that strong. They are also easy to kite and dodge because they sit still when firing. The level 2k ones are very damaging though and quite tanky, so its imperative that you stay away from their torpedoes. Engineers may have a harder time due to their holy ward tractors.

Icepick (Level 1.3k)/(Level 1.8k)Difficulty: Medium/MediumWeaknesses: Heat, miningStrategy: Again, speed and agility are favorable aspects to tackle these AI. Kiting works wonders against them because they close in on their target. Their pulses and xeno torpedoes are the heavy hitting weapons, the rest of the weapons are fairly weak. If you cannot avoid their pulses, make sure you equip energy diffusers. Like level 2.1k forgones, the level 1.8k icepicks deal massive damage. Unlike level 2.1k forgones, they are quite fragile.

Bigger Green (Level 1.5k)/(Level 1.7k) Difficulty: Hard/Very HardWeaknesses: Mining, RadiationStrategy: These probably have the fewest weaknesses of any commonly seen AI. You cannot simply dodge without thinking because they will shoot Titan Lasers+ at you, and outranging them is harder because of their Titan MagCannons+. In addition to their high damage output, they are very tanky as well. For fast agile ships, the trick is to move just enough to avoid their pulses and magcannons while keeping from moving too fast so they don't switch to their lasers. The best strategy to defeating them is kiting, because they are slow and their magcannons have reduced range when moving towards you.

Omega Platform (Level 1.9k)Difficulty: MediumWeaknesses: MiningStrategy: Had to bring up these because a lot of people claim that these are very difficult AI to kill, but I have to disagree. Omega platforms are slow and have poor radar, so all you have to do is outrange them and you are fine. Mining weapons kill them quicker than a Japanese cook makes sushi rolls. If you cannot outrange them, kill them as quickly as possible because their not very tanky but deal a lot of damage with their torpedoes. Speed demons may have trouble against them because of their ~1500 range lasers, recommended to carry laser diffusers.

Green Battleship (Level 2k)Difficulty: HardWeaknesses: MiningStrategy: Ignore the agamemnon fighters, they have a lot of them and they aren't much of a threat. Green battleships take a long time to kill if you don't have mining damage in your arsenal. Their damage is not that high, but with ~1500 range and full tracking mining beams these are quite a challenge for recon focus classes. The best way to defeat a DG floor of them as speed demon is to carry a mining weapon like an excommunicator and bait out the green battleships one by one. Most other classes can tank or outrange green battleships and just have to wait patiently.

Reavers (Level 1.2k)/(Level 1.8k)Difficulty: Easy/MediumWeaknesses: Mining, but all weapons are effectiveStrategy: The regular reavers are extremely easy. They only have ~6k shields and mediocre resists. The only difficult part about them is their gremming laser that deals fairly high damage and disables turning. Bring a full tracking weapon or make sure you outrun them. The MF reavers are not so easy. They fire 3 lasers instead of 1 and each laser deals 50% more damage than normal reavers' lasers. Their shields, although still weak, are greater as well. They also carry cloaks so you need a decent radar to see them. If you feel that you cannot withstand their lasers, carry volatile laser diffusers. Again, either bring a full tracking weapon or move faster than them (at least 120 speed). Readers of Shawn-McCall's comment should note that his speed value of 150 for reavers is incorrect. Reavers only move at 120 speed. MF reavers aren't very damaging but since lasers disable turning and are instant hit, dodging is pretty much out of the option. Kiting and outranging of course works against them.

Red Wattages (Level 1.8k)/(Level 2.8k)Difficulty: Very Hard/Medium-HardWeaknesses: PhysicalStrategy: A single red wattage is easy picking but when you are thrown into a DG floor full of them its astonishing how much more difficult they become. Red wattages fire powerful energy beams that also reduce elec regen, and move very fast too. If you cannot tank their shots, try to either run away from them or hide from them. Then, when you are far away, attack and quickly kill the red wattage that's closest to you, preferably with a physical weapon. Snipers can fire and hide, speed demons can turn backwards and shoot them as their range isn't that long. Rinse and repeat until you've wasted them all.

Qokuji'qis (Level 1.4k)Difficulty: HardWeaknesses: HeatStrategy: Any tanky class can kill these easily. Their damage output is not that high and any sort of heat weapon will waste them about as quickly as an icepick. Speed demons and snipers will have a harder time because they use jiji quus which wreck fast ships and if you let them hit you enough times, your visibility goes up at least tenfold. They are also quite stealthy. The best way to defeat them as sniper is to pick them off with a long ranged weapon before they hit you. If you have a heat weapon, excellent. If you don't, expect to take a bit longer. The best way to defeat them as speed demon is to stay out of range of their heat beams.

Vultures and Condors (Level 1.1k)/(Level 1.7k)/CondorsDifficulty: Very Hard/Hard/Very HardWeaknesses: Energy, Heat, PhysicalStrategy: Hard this time as you cannot kite vultures and their pulses have long range. Speed demons should not have a problem against them because none of them have beam weapons. Snipers should stick to firing and hiding using a hot glue gun or some physical weapon. Hot glue gun is especially effective because the parasite will finish them off. If none of these fighting styles are available, try to use tractor beams or somehow screw up their turning because the birds of prey have surprisingly low agility. For missile users, zaphragi cheetah missiles are very effective against them.

Don't have much experience with Shield Monkeys so I'm not exactly certain how to tackle a DG solo. This guide is mainly for newer players and newbies typically don't choose ShMonk while experienced ShMonks usually go with a squad or multiclient. Since they are a tanky class, I'd say similar to the way a Fleet Commander would except that the slaves take the aggro instead. MF reavers are probably one of your hardest matchups since its imperative to stay close to your slaves, so equip slaves with a set of full tracking weapons and set them to fight enemies when facing reavers. For red wattages, mining beams are effective against them. They are also quite fast and maneuverable IIRC, so try to dodge projectiles while healing your slaves.

I think what they are trying to say is it isnt a good idea to label something as a general guide for all classes if you only say speed demon and sniper tactics... For example you cant tank GBs as an engineer at low tier t20 or t17 unless you are crazy and are using a shrimp instead of a Selly at 17. I would switch to label this as a guide to kill them as sniper or speed demon since they are the only classes you bring up.

I think what they are trying to say is it isnt a good idea to label something as a general guide for all classes if you only say speed demon and sniper tactics... For example you cant tank GBs as an engineer at low tier t20 or t17 unless you are crazy and are using a shrimp instead of a Selly at 17. I would switch to label this as a guide to kill them as sniper or speed demon since they are the only classes you bring up.

No matter how much advice someone receives, there will always be situations where a setup has no way of clearing the floor or defeating the boss, etc.

I think what they are trying to say is it isnt a good idea to label something as a general guide for all classes if you only say speed demon and sniper tactics... For example you cant tank GBs as an engineer at low tier t20 or t17 unless you are crazy and are using a shrimp instead of a Selly at 17. I would switch to label this as a guide to kill them as sniper or speed demon since they are the only classes you bring up.

No matter how much advice someone receives, there will always be situations where a setup has no way of clearing the floor or defeating the boss, etc.

makes sense, teach me more master

now on a serious note. i can make a better guide then this that do relate to all classes, all lvls and all gear types etc

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